Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-05-12

From the Chicago Inter-Ocean.
Within lifetime the social and Industrial con-
dition5 OF the civilized world have been transform
cd, almost with the swiftness OF revolution. The
growth OF modern cities and the multiplication OF
sucn cities Is altogether new fact in the worlds
history. London, with It's population OF over 5000,
600, Is quite the greatest OF mosiern cities; but
that city has been growing for 1000 years and
more. 1t is only within comparatively recent
years that its growth has beeh so rapid. Two hun
dred years ago 1t had a much smaller population
than Chicago now has. Now 1t is as large as all
New York, Brooklyn. Boston, Chicago, st. Louis,
Baltimore. Cincinnati, and San. Francisco put to-
gether. Since the century began it has increased
more than 1vefold. More people live in it than in
the whole OF Holland, than IN Sweden, than in
in Scotland. London is not the only large English
city. In England and Wales there are more than
twenty-seven other cities each containing pOpu-
cent OF the entire population OF England and
Wales live in cities. In Scotland three out OF
every l94r nUe - some city Glasgow sy
to million. Between the years OF 1871 and 1881
It's increase amounted to more than Al per cent.
a country to emigrate from; but for every two
who have left her cities ninety-eght have left her
rural districts During the past ten years the in
twice as great as that OF the rural districts; in
sweden, four times as great; in Norway, ten times
rs great. Iuc lOuT CuleI Clues OF RUSSIA nave
doubled with twenty years; the population Of
Berlin Is three times as great now as it was in
In our own country the facts are similar In
1870 one.thirtieth OF our population lived in cities
OF 5000 inhabitants or over; in 1900 one-twenty-
nth; in 1870, one-twentteth; in 1880, one-six-
teenth; In lS4O, One-twelfth; In 1850 one-eighth;
in 1860, one-sixth; in 1870 one-ffth; and now
fully one.fourth In 1900 we had only Fix cities Of
over 5000 inhabitants Now there are according
facts. IL IS evident that movement Of tremendous
slgnlflcance and consequence, enecting changes
that are simply revolutionary to the entire life Of
the civilized world, is going on and the rapidity
with which these mighty transformations are
Delng made Is by no means diminishing.
1nere are, or course terrible risks Incidental to
this Development Of the gregartous instinct in
the massing and crOwding together OF such i'm
mense populations. There is a fascination for
many In the thrObbng manifold life OF great cities
That operates like subtle 1ntOxicati0n. ThouS-
ands are perpetually crOwding into cities, they
know not why. There is in them peculiar fasc-
nation for the young, OF both sexes, and for the
ambitious. There is a certain delight for almost
everyone In the consciousness or being in the
midst OF vast multitude. The DEVELOPMENT Of
the moral forces in modern times has made it pos
sole for people to live together On fairer terms.
Inc swift development OF the sciences followed by
an endless number of ingenious and inventive APP
pllcati0ns of science to the arts OF ie have made
IL pOsSiDie Tor a comparatively smaller number
OF people to cultivate the soil and produce the
10od 1Or the worlds suStehance. AT the same
time an infinite number OF new Industries have
sprung into being, and are still being multiplied;
81 tHdt> uOWCNtI NssSt the cGnterS or population
become, there may still be found enough for all to
DO Moreover, the immense improvement being
made In the sanitary conditions OF city life Is 4
TACT not to DE overlooked Men, both in cities and
In the live better healthier have better
1oOd and better clothing better homes and live
longer than formerly. Since the present century
began the Inhabitants OF the civilized world have
more than doubled in number, and those who
speak the English language have quadrupled. In
our own city OF Chicago the death-rate during the
past six years has diminished from 25 to I9 per
1000 each year.
ANY attempts to arrest the growth OF cities to
mead on the population from crowding into them
Will prove as fru1tless as it would be to try to
arrest the action OF gravitaton or stop the preces
SION OF the equinoxes. These social movements of
Inc age are clearly predestinated. The thing to
DO Is TO make haste to prepare for them Tnos.
JEFFERSON called great cities great sores upon the
Dody polite" Well, without proper attention to
the right moral conditions OF society they might
become become just that: The chief municipal
position where it is inevitable that
they exert an immense moral fnf1ll-
ence upon the people for good or Ill. Ignorance
and unthrlIt. avarice and luxury, vice and crime
are constant facts and factors to be perpetually
fought against.